The US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has issued a final decree closing the Chapter 11 cases of Aeromexico and its subsidiaries Aerovias de Mexico, Aerolitoral and Aerovias Empresa de Cargo. Aeromexico says the reorganised debtors' plan of reorganisation, which became fully effective on 17 March, has been substantially consummated, and that distributions on account of almost 100% of all eligible allowed claims have been made. Considering this, the bankruptcy court determined that entry of the final decree was appropriate, it adds.Davis Polk & Wardwell and Sainz Abogados acted as legal counsel to Aeromexico, Rothschild as financial adviser and AlixPartners as restructuring adviser.

Thai Airways International is planning to recruit over 300 cabin crew to support the noteworthy growth in travel demand. The move is in accordance with the airline's plan to increase flight frequencies in the first quarter of 2023 following the significant growth in travel demand in the fourth quarter of 2022, as well as its growing tendency in 2023, the carrier says.

China on 26 December cleared Korean Air's planned acquisition of Asiana Airlines. "The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) has demanded that the merged Korean Air-Asiana entity reduce its market share due to competition concerns, to which Korean Air has submitted remedies proposing to transfer slots to any new airlines wishing to start air services on nine routes where both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines operate," Korean Air said in a 26 December statement. The Korea Fair Trade Commission proposed five of the nine routes earlier this year and an additional four routes have been advised by MOFCOM, it adds. Korean Air expects China's approval of the business combination to play a "positive role" in the review process of the remaining competition authorities. Currently, Korean Air is still waiting for business combination approvals from the USA, European Union and Japan, countries where reporting is mandatory, as well as the final approval from the UK, where reporting is arbitrary. Korean Air says "it will continue to cooperate closely with the remaining competition authorities to ensure the review process is completed as soon as possible". The airline has completed the approval process in 10 countries. Out of these countries, Korean Air has received approval from China, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan and Vietnam. The Thailand Competition Commission announced that submission of a business combination report was not necessary. From countries where reporting is arbitrary, Korean Air has received clearance from Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. The Philippines has confirmed that the business combination report was not required.